Language embodies life
Honourable Minister Pamela Hakongak Gross
MLA Cambridge Bay; Minister of Education; Deputy Premier of Nunavut, Arctic College; and Deputy Premier of Nunavut
Government of Nunavut
Language embodies life. For Inuinnait (Copper Inuit), our language was developed by our ancestors and its meaning encompasses who we are – our culture, traditions, values, environment, and surroundings.
“Language is part of our identity and without our language, we are non-existent.”
Inuinnaqtun is recognized by UNESCO as one of the world’s endangered languages. Today, it is spoken by fewer than 600 Inquinate. Inuinnait currently live in the community of Ulukhaktok in the Northwest Territories as well as the communities of Kugluktuk, Cambridge Bay and a few reside in Gjoa Haven in Nunavut.
My namesake, Hakongak, connects me to my maternal relatives. Being given this name means I embody the tradition of who Hakongak was and he lives on. Through our namesake, Inuit have a sacred bond deeply rooted in our ancestral lines and connects us to our ancestor’s shamanistic practices.
Ensuring that traditional knowledge is always passed on and our people learn our customs and values in Inuinnaqtun is critical.
Our communities across Nunavut, are running several cultural and language revitalization programs to uplift communities, heal people, and reawaken our languages. Through these programs, our Elders, knowledge holders, and teachers uphold traditions and pass on key skills to the next generations to come. This knowledge sharing practice is intrinsic to all aspects of life that we know as Inuit. Some excellent examples of programs that have embed language literacy are things such as sewing, harvesting, land navigation, survival skills, traditional tool making, food preparation, singing, and drum dancing. I thank and commend our Elders and teachers who transit this knowledge to our people.
I am also very thankful for the power of partnerships, like our work with Microsoft. By using technology like AI, we have gained extra support in our cultural and language revitalization efforts. This technology strengthens our Indigenous languages as an additional resource for our people to utilize and enhances language learning and sharing. With Microsoft Translator, Inuinnaqtun is more accessible to learn and use in daily life.
Witnessing Inuinnait attain knowledge of who we are through our cultural and language revitalization efforts is deeply meaningful to me. As an Inuk, it leaves me feeling excited about the future of enhancing our mother tongue and optimistic that it will carry on for many generations to come. We must embrace who we are, and these programs and tools ensure we thrive.
Pamela Hakongak Gross’ngujunga, Inuinnaujunga - My name is Pamela Hakongak Gross, and I am Inuinnait.
ᐅᖃᐅᓯᖅᑕᖅ ᐃᓅᓯᕆᔭᒧᑦ ᓇᓗᓇᙱᔾᔪᑕᐅᕗᖅ. ᐃᓄᐃᓐᓇᕐᓄᑦ, ᓯᕗᓕᑦᑎᓐᓄᑦ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᖅᑕᕆᔭᐅᓚᐅᖅᐳᖅ ᑐᑭᖏᓪᓗ ᐊᕙᓗᓯᓯᒪᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᑭᒃᑰᓂᑦᑎᓐᓂ − ᐃᓕᖅᑯᓯᑦᑎᓐᓂ, ᐱᖅᑯᓯᑦᑎᓐᓂ, ᐱᒻᒪᕆᐅᒋᔭᑦᑎᓐᓂ, ᐊᕙᑎᑦᑎᓐᓂ, ᐊᒻᒪ ᐊᕙᑎᑦᑎᓐᓃᑦᑐᓂᒃ.
“ᐅᖃᐅᓯᖅ ᐃᓚᒋᔭᐅᖕᒪᑦ ᐃᓕᓴᕐᓇᐅᑎᑦᑎᓐᓄᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᖅᐳᑦ ᐊᑐᙱᒃᑯᑦᑎᒍᑦ, ᐱᑕᖃᕋᔭᙱᓐᓇᑦᑕ.”
ᐃᓄᐃᓐᓇᖅᑐᓐ ᐃᓕᑕᕆᔭᐅᓯᒪᖕᒪᑦ UNESCO−ᑯᓐᓄᑦ ᓄᓇᕐᔪᐊᕐᒥ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᕐᓂᒃ ᐊᓯᐅᔨᔭᐅᑐᐃᓐᓇᕆᐊᖃᕐᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ. ᐅᓪᓗᒥᓕ, ᐅᖃᐅᓯᖅ ᐅᖃᓪᓚᒃᑕᐅᖃᑦᑕᖅᐳᖅ 600 ᑐᖔᓂ ᐃᓄᖕᓄᑦ. ᐃᓄᐃᓐᓇᐃᑦ ᒫᓐᓇ ᓄᓇᖃᖅᐳᑦ ᐅᓗᒃᕼᐊᖅᑑᒥ ᓄᓇᑦᓯᐊᒥ ᐊᒻᒪᓗ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᓂ ᐅᑯᓇᓂ ᖁᕐᓗᖅᑐᖅ, ᐃᖃᓗᒃᑑᑦᑎᐊᖅ ᐊᒻᒪ ᖃᔅᓰᓐᓇᐃᑦ ᐅᖅᓱᖅᑑᕐᒥᐅᑕᐅᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᓄᓇᕗᒻᒥ.
ᐊᑎᕈᓯᕋ, ᕼᐊᑯᙵᖅ, ᐊᒃᑐᐊᓂᖃᕈᑎᒋᒐᒃᑯ ᐊᓈᓇᒪ ᐃᓚᖏᓐᓄᑦ. ᑖᔅᓱᒥᖓ ᐊᑦᑎᖅᑕᐅᑎᓪᓗᖓ ᑐᑭᖃᕐᒪᑦ ᓇᓗᓇᙱᔾᔪᑎᒋᒐᒃᑯ ᐱᖅᑯᓯᑦᑎᓐᓄᑦ ᑭᓇᐅᓚᐅᕐᒪᖔᑦ ᕼᐊᑯᙵᖅ ᐊᑎᖓᓗ ᐊᑎᕇᓐᓇᖅᖢᑎᒍᑦ. ᐊᑦᑎᖅᑕᐅᓯᒪᓂᑦᑎᓐᓄᑦ, ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᐱᒻᒪᕆᐊᓗᖕᒥᒃ ᐊᒃᑐᐊᓂᖃᕐᒪᑕ ᑐᙵᑦᑎᐊᖅᑐᓂᒃ ᓯᕗᕚᕆᓚᐅᖅᑕᑦᑎᓐᓄᑦ ᐊᒃᑐᐊᓪᓗᑎᓪᓗ ᓯᕗᕚᑦᑕ ᐊᖓᒃᑰᕙᓚᐅᖅᑐᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᔾᔪᓯᕆᓚᐅᖅᑕᖏᓐᓄᑦ.
ᖃᐅᔨᒪᓗᒋᑦ ᐱᖅᑯᓯᖅᑎᒍᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᓂᕆᔭᐅᔪᖅ ᐃᓅᕙᓪᓕᐊᔪᓄᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᓕᖅᑕᐅᖃᑦᑕᕐᒪᑕ ᐃᓄᖁᑎᕗᑦ ᖃᐅᕙᒃᖢᑎᒃ ᐱᐅᓯᑦᑎᓐᓂᒃ ᐱᒻᒪᕆᐅᒋᔭᑦᑎᓐᓂᓪᓗ ᐃᓄᐃᓐᓇᖅᑐᓐ ᐱᕐᔪᐊᕌᓘᖕᒪᑦ.
ᓄᓇᑦᑎᓐᓂ ᓄᓇᕘᓕᒫᒥ, ᐱᓕᕆᑎᑦᑎᓂᐊᖅᑐᑦ ᖃᔅᓯᑲᓪᓚᖕᓂᒃ ᐱᖅᑯᓯᕆᔭᐅᔪᓂᒃ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᖅᑕᕆᔭᐅᔪᓂᒡᓗ ᐆᒻᒪᖅᑎᑦᑎᒃᑲᓐᓂᕋᓱᖕᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᓄᑦ ᐱᕚᓪᓕᕈᑎᒃᓴᐅᓗᑎᒃ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᓄᑦ, ᒪᒥᓴᕈᑕᐅᓗᑎᒃ ᐃᓄᖕᓄᑦ, ᐊᒻᒪ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᖅᐳᑦ ᐆᒻᒪᖅᑎᒋᐊᒃᑲᓐᓂᕐᓗᒍ. ᑖᒃᑯᑎᒎᓇᖅ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖅᑎᒍᑦ, ᐃᓐᓇᕆᔭᕗᑦ, ᖃᐅᔨᒪᔨᑕᕆᔭᐅᔪᑦ, ᐊᒻᒪ ᐃᓕᓴᐃᔨᑦ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᓱᐃᓲᖑᕗᑦ ᐱᖅᑯᓯᑦᑎᓐᓂ ᖃᐅᔨᑎᑦᑎᕙᒃᖢᑎᒡᓗ ᐊᔪᙱᑕᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐃᓅᕙᓪᓕᐊᔪᓄᑦ ᐃᓅᕙᓪᓕᐊᓛᖅᑐᓄᓪᓗ. ᐅᑯᐊ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᓂᕆᔭᐅᔪᑦ ᐊᔪᕈᓐᓃᖅᓴᐅᑕᐅᓲᑦ ᐱᔭᐅᒋᐊᖃᓪᓚᕆᖕᒪᑕ ᖃᓄᑐᐃᓐᓇᑦᑎᐊᖅ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᕆᕙᒃᑕᑦᑎᒍᑦ ᐃᓅᓯᑦᑎᓐᓂ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᓪᓗᑎᒍᑦ ᐃᓅᓂᖏᓐᓂᒃ. ᐃᓚᖏᑦ ᐱᐅᑦᑎᐊᖅᑐᑦ ᐆᒃᑑᑎᒃᓴᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᓂᒃ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᕐᓂᒃ ᐊᕙᓗᓯᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᐅᖃᕆᐅᖅᓴᔾᔪᑕᐅᔪᓐᓇᖅᑐᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᑎᑦᑎᓕᕌᖓᑕ ᓲᕐᓗ ᒥᖅᓱᕆᐅᖅᓴᑎᑦᑎᓂᕐᒥᒃ, ᐊᖑᓇᓱᖕᓂᕐᒥᒃ, ᓄᓇᒧᑦ ᐊᐅᓪᓛᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ, ᐊᓐᓇᐅᒪᓇᓱᖕᓂᕐᒥᒃ, ᐱᐅᓯᖅᑎᒍᑦ ᓴᓇᕐᕈᑎᓕᐅᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ, ᓂᖅᖥᕿᓂᕐᒥᒃ, ᐃᖏᐅᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ ᐊᒻᒪ ᕿᓚᐅᔾᔭᕐᓂᕐᒥᒃ. ᖁᔭᒋᕙᒃᑲ ᐅᐱᒋᕙᒃᑲᓗ ᐃᓐᓇᕆᔭᕗᑦ ᐃᓕᓴᐃᔨᕗᓪᓗ ᓯᐊᒻᒪᒃᑎᕆᓲᑦ ᑖᒃᑯᓇᓂ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᔭᒥᓂᒃ ᐃᓄᖁᑎᑦᑎᓐᓄᑦ.
ᖁᔭᒋᑦᑎᐊᕐᒥᔭᒃᑲ ᐱᓕᕆᖃᑎᒌᓄᑦ ᐱᔪᓐᓇᕐᓂᕆᔭᐅᔪᖅ, ᓲᕐᓗ ᐱᓕᕆᑎᓪᓗᑕ Microsoft−ᑯᑦ. ᐊᑐᕐᓗᓂ ᐱᓕᕆᔾᔪᑎᓂᒃ ᓲᕐᓗ ᐋᓪ−ᑎᑐᑦ, ᐱᕚᓪᓕᖅᑎᑦᑎᓯᒪᕗᒍᑦ ᐃᑲᔪᖅᑐᐃᔾᔪᑎᓂᒃ ᐃᓕᖅᑯᓯᑦᑎᓐᓄᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᑦᑎᓐᓄᑦ ᐆᒻᒪᖅᑎᑦᑎᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐱᓇᔪᒃᐸᒃᑕᑦᑎᓐᓄᑦ. ᐅᑯᐊ ᐱᓕᕆᔾᔪᑎᓅᖓᔪᑦ ᓴᙱᒃᑎᒋᐊᕈᑕᐅᔪᓐᓇᖅᐳᑦ ᓄᓇᖃᖅᑳᖅᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᖅᑕᖏᓐᓂᒃ ᐃᑲᔫᑎᒃᓴᒃᑲᓐᓂᐅᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᐃᓄᖁᑎᑦᑎᓐᓄᑦ ᐊᑐᓕᖅᑕᐅᖁᓪᓗᒋᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐱᐅᓯᕚᓪᓕᕈᑕᐅᔪᓐᓇᖅᖢᑎᒃ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᕐᒧᑦ ᐃᓕᓐᓂᐊᕐᓂᕐᒧᑦ ᐅᖃᓪᓚᖃᑎᖃᖃᑦᑕᕐᓂᕐᒧᓪᓗ. MIcrosoft Translator ᑐᑭᓕᐅᕆᔨ ᐊᑐᖅᖢᒍ, ᐃᓄᐃᓐᓇᖅᑐᓐ ᐊᔪᕐᓇᙱᓐᓂᖅᓴᐅᓂᐊᓕᖅᑐᖅ ᐃᓕᕝᕕᒋᒋᐊᒃᓴᖅ ᐊᑐᕆᐊᒃᓴᕐᓗ ᖃᐅᑕᒫᑦ ᐃᓅᓯᑦᑎᓐᓂ.
ᑕᐅᑐᒃᖢᒋᑦ ᐃᓄᐃᓐᓇᐃᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᕚᓪᓕᖅᐸᓪᓕᐊᔪᑦ ᑭᒃᑰᓂᑦᑎᓐᓂ ᐊᖅᑯᑎᒋᓗᑎᒍᑦ ᐃᓕᖅᑯᓯᖅᐳᑦ ᐊᒻᒪ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᖅᐳᑦ ᐆᒻᒪᖅᑎᒃᑲᓐᓂᕋᓱᒃᑎᓪᓗᑎᒍᑦ ᐅᕙᓐᓄᑦ ᐃᑉᐱᖕᓇᖅᑐᒻᒪᕆᐊᓘᖕᒪᑦ. ᐃᓅᑎᓪᓗᖓ, ᓂᕆᐅᖕᓂᖃᑦᑎᐊᓕᖅᐳᖓ ᓯᕗᓂᒃᓴᑦᑎᓐᓂ ᐱᐅᓯᕚᓪᓕᖅᑎᑦᑎᓛᕐᒪᖔᑦᑕ ᐅᖃᐅᓯᕐᖓᐅᑎᑦᑎᓐᓂᒃ ᓂᕆᐅᑦᑎᐊᕐᓂᐊᖅᐳᖓᓗ ᐊᕐᕌᒍᒐᓵᓗᖕᓄᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖑᐃᓐᓇᓛᕋᓱᒋᓕᖅᖢᒍ. ᑭᒃᑰᓂᑦᑎᓐᓂ ᓇᓗᓇᐃᖅᓯᒋᐊᖃᕋᑦᑕ, ᑖᒃᑯᑎᒎᓇᕐᓗ ᐱᓕᕆᐊᖅᑎᒍᑦ ᐱᓕᕆᔾᔪᑎᑎᒍᓪᓗ ᓯᕗᒻᒧᐊᒃᐸᓪᓕᐊᓂᐊᖅᐳᒍᑦ.
ᐹᒥᓚ ᕼᐊᑯᙵᖅ ᒍᕌᔅ−ᖑᔪᖓ, ᐃᓄᐃᓐᓇᐅᔪᖓ
Uqauhiq pidjutiqaqtuq inuuhirmun. Hapkununga Inuinnait (Copper Inuit), uqauhiqqut havaktauhimajuq hivuliptingnin naunaijautaa pidjutigijaqqut kitkuujugut– pitquhiqqut, ilitquhiqqut, ukpirijavut, avativut, avatiptingniitullu.
“Uqauhiq ilaujut idjuhiptingnun uvalu piqanginiq uqauhiptingnik, takunaitugutt.”
Inuinnaqtun ilitarijaujuq hapkunanga UNESCO atauhiq nunaqjuami tamaniaqtuq uqauhiq. Ublumi, uqaqtut ikitqiat 600 Inquinait. Inuinnait tadja nunaqaqtut nunallaami Ulukhaktuumi Nunatsiami hamanilu Kugluktumi, Iqaluktuuttiamilu ikitut nunaqaqtut Urhuqtuumi Nunavunmi.
Atira, Hakongak, atadjutigijara maamangma ilainun. Tunijauniq haffuminga atirmik naunaijautaa ilaujutiga ilitquhirmun kinaungmangaat Hakongak inuuhimarutaa. Atiptigut, Inuit piqaqtut ukpirunhungnikkut piqpaginirmun pidjutiqaqtut hivuliptingnun inuuhiinun atadjutigijaqqut hivuliptingnun angatkuit atuqtaitigut.
Pihimablugit ilitquhiit ilihimajit tunihimaaqhugu ukualu inuutivut ilitaangini pitquhiqqut ukpirijavullu Inuinnaqtut aghuungnaqtuq.
Nunallaavut avatiini Nunavut, aulapkailiqtut ikitunik pitquhikkut uqauhikkulu atuqpalianikkut pinahuarutinik quviatautighait nunallaat, mamihaqhugit inuit, atuliffaaqlugu uqauhiqqut. Hapkunuuna pinahuarutikkut, Inirnighavut, ilihimanirmik pihimajut, ilihaijillu havakhugit ilitquhiit ajuiqhaqhugit ajuiqhautit kinguliptingnun qaijunun. Una ilihimaniq iliharniq atuqtaujuq nanminirijaqqut qanuriniitigut inuuhiptingnik ilihimajaptingnik imaa Inuit. Ilangit nakuuqpiaqtut uuktuutit pinahuarutit tapkua pidjutiqaqtut uqauhikkut taiguarniq imaatun mirhuqhutik, anguniaqhutik, nunamik naunaijaiblutik, annaktungnikkut ajuiqhautit, hanarutiliuqhutik, niqiliqiblutik, ingiuqhutik qilaudjaqhutiklu. Qujagijatka Inirnighat ilihaijillu kitut nuutirijut ilihimajamingnik inuutiptignun.
Qujagijatkalu hakugingnikkut havaqatigiit, havaaptigullu haffumuuna Microsoftkut. Atuqhugit qaritaujat imaatun Altun, amigaiqjuumiqtut ikajuutivut pitquhikkut uqauhikullu atuqpalianirmun aghuurutit. Una nutaaq hakugikhijuumirutijuq Nunaqaqaaqtut uqauhiit ilaiutihimajut ikajuutit inuptingnun aturiangini quviagilugillu uqauhirmik ilihaqtut uqaqatigiiktullu. Haffumuuna Microsoft Numiktirutaagut, Inuinnaqtun pijaaliqtuq ilihariami aturianganilu ubluni inuuhiptingni.
Tautukhugit Inuinnait pilirnirit ilihimajaujut kituudjutikput pitquhikkut uqauhikkut atuqpalianikkut aghuurutit aghut aghuungnaqtut uvamnun. Inuinnaublunga, quviahuutigijara hivuniqqut ihuaqhijuumirutaa uqauhiqqut hapiutigingitugu atuqtauhimaaniaqtuq kinguliptingnun qaijununit. Quviagijaghavut kinaudjutivut, hapkualu pinahuarutit ikajuutillu pihimajut hakugikhijuumirniaqtugut.
Pamela Hakongak Gross’ngujunga, Inuinnaujunga - Atira Pamela Hakongak Gross, inuinnaujunga.
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